History of Lake Margrethe

Lake Margrethe is situated between the Manistee and AuSable Rivers in Northern Michigan. As a result, Native Americans named the lake Portage Lake.

Between the late 1800's and the early 1900's much of the area surrounding the lake, as elsewhere in the north, was purchased for timber rights. A number of Danish immigrants were attracted to the area because of the lumbering industry and the subsequent farming that was hoped to follow. A number of families contributed significantly to the early development of the land around the lake. These families include: Hanson, Michelson, Olson, Sorenson, Bruun, Collen, and Nelson. Danish Landing was one of the earliest summer resorts on the lake. To read about the history of Danish Landing in more depth, please click here.

Rasmus Hanson granted 2,000 acres of land bordering the southwest third of the lake to the State of Michigan. This grant created Camp Grayling and a game preserve. On September 13, 1917, the name of the lake was changed from Portage Lake to Lake Margrethe after Rasmus' wife. Rasmus also owned a steam boat which ran on the lake in the early 1900's. To see pictures of the boat, and read more about it, click here.

At the turn of the century, visiting the lake from Grayling (6 miles) was a full day trip by horse-drawn buggy over very primitive paths. Often the horse and rig was rented from the village livery. During July and August, people who lived and worked in the village of Grayling enjoyed the lake as a special destination for a weekend outing. Stories are told of packing large picnic lunches, bathing suits, and maybe a fishing rod. If all went as planned, you would be home before dark.